We review everything we know about one of the most anticipated titles for this 2021, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, the new IP of Ember Lab
Since its trailer appeared at the PlayStation 5 showcase last June, many of us have been looking forward to Kena: Bridge of Spirits coming our way. Its promising setting and polished animation have put it in the spotlight of the most anticipated games of this 2021, despite the fact that there is no date confirmed yet. In this text we collect everything we know about the title of Ember Lab and review the reasons why we have so much desire to take control to share the adventures of Kena.
What do we know about the technical section of Kena: Bridge of Spirits?
Ember Lab is a studio located in California and comprised of only fourteen people. This figure may surprise if we take into account the quality of the animation of both the characters and the settings shown in the trailer. However, if we review the history of the studio, it is not surprising: despite being its first video game, Ember Lab has made many animations for brands such as Coca-Cola and MLB since its founding in 2009. Hence, Kena and all that It surrounds it to look like something out of a work of the caliber of Pixar.
In fact, founding brothers Mike and JoshshGrier themselves have stated during an interview with Official PlayStation Magazine that they have moved away from photorealism and motion capture to have more freedom, flexibility and personality when animating the faces of the characters. “Although Kena’s movements are fantasy, we tried to give weight to both her attacks and her actions, to make the character control precise,” adds Mike. So we look forward to exploring the magical world that Ember Lab seems to have brought to life, immersing ourselves in the details of its animation, and seeing it as polished and rich in detail.
Related to this same point, the developers have also confirmed that the DualSense’s haptic triggers function has been used to improve the gaming experience. If we play the title on PS5 (although we can also enjoy it on PC and PS4), we will be able to experience the weight that the team has wanted to give to the possibilities offered by the new PlayStation controller and take advantage of it. The example they have given is that of feeling the tension of the bow on the triggers when drawing the string. This leads us to think directly about what we were able to experience with Astro’s Playroom and to fantasize about how much I could improve the immersion by taking advantage of Sony hardware.
Other data that we know since the end of 2020 is that thanks to the PS5’s SSD memory, loading times will be almost totally reduced and users who buy it for the fourth generation console will be able to update it for free to PS5, as has happened. with titles like Marvel’s Spider-man: Miles Morales and Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, among other intergenerational games. In this way, regardless of when we decide to transcend the next generation, we can continue to enjoy Kena and company without going through the box again.
What do we know about its history?
Kena, the protagonist that we will embody in the Ember Lab title, is a spiritual guide who has to help lost souls to move to the next plane. The team itself has stated that they draw directly from the Balinese culture for such fundamental aspects as the construction of the world, the characters and the music of the title. The culture of this ethnic group on the island of Indonesia is very characteristic and attractive for its use of color, joy, folklore and spirituality. Broadly speaking, their beliefs are based on karma, relaxation and happiness as a source of seeking the good. All this is translated aesthetically into striking colors and sensory sounds that, according to the creators themselves, we can witness in Kena.
In fact, the composer of the team Jason Gallaty, contacted the Balinese musical company Gamelan Çudamani to approach the soundtrack from a respectful point with the culture. “Through this collaboration, we discovered that the incredible Balinese culture included similarities to the core concept of the game: helping trapped and distressed spirits move on. Music is an important part of this process in Balinese culture and the collaboration with Çudamani helped us implement it in an authentic way ”, adds Josh about it.
Because of its bright colors it may seem like a dream game, but Kena. Bidge of Spirits has its dark side. Not only because of the promising combat that can be sensed in the trailer, but because to guide the spirits, Kena has to help herself first. “In the game, we expose her weakness and make her go through a change. The main idea is that to help these spirits, you have to be totally unselfish. The problem arises when you cling to something of your own that can hold you back, that’s what comes to mind when you face some of the most challenging spirits, “Mike stressed in the interview. In other words, we will have to accompany Kena not only in an arduous task, but also in her own process of evolution.
To compensate for this somewhat more bitter aspect of the story are the Rot. Some nice beings with big eyes that will help Kena to interact with the environment, solve puzzles and disarm enemies, among other things. Because yes, in addition to battles against spirits in Kena: Bridge of Spirits we will have exploration areas, platforms and environmental puzzles, according to what we have seen in the trailer. The creators themselves have said that the way to add these endearing spirits to our team serves to generate an episodic rhythm, from which we can interpret that we will have to complete certain tasks or challenges to find them. In addition, it has also been confirmed that we will be able to add different aesthetic improvements such as clothes and accessories that add a level of personalization that aims to greatly succeed in social networks, creators of fanarts and merchandising stores.
What do we expect from the title?
After gathering in seconds of trailer footage and interviews from the developers, we are hopeful that this new IP will surprise all gamers with a deep and warm story, a rich and detailed universe, and satisfying gameplay in combat. and exploration. Considering that they have already warned that the game is long enough to “finish it in a weekend”, it is possible that it meets these very demanding expectations. After all, if they focus their efforts on a shortened story, they can bring to life an amazing experience. We also hope that Rots are more than just merchandise meat, that collecting them doesn’t get monotonous and they really bring life to the game. universe and adventure. Again, the reduced duration of the adventure is a good indication in this regard.
As for the technical section, if the entire title is up to the trailer we can’t ask for more. Of course, as the creators have indicated, we hope that Kena really takes advantage of the DualSense functionalities, implementing its different characteristics in the immersion in the game, improving the experience. In the same way, SSD and next-gen graphics cards should practically eliminate load times, as the Grier brothers have indicated. If the universe of the title is as magical and welcoming as can be intuited in the trailer, we have no doubt that it will be a great candidate to get the most out of Sony’s new console during this 2021 (as long as its date of release is confirmed). output throughout this year).
We are also intrigued by its history and the influence Balinese culture has on it. The fact that they have worked alongside artists of the culture in question means that they will be treated with respect and first-hand knowledge, which will provide us with a good approach to it. We really want to see Kena’s evolution throughout the title, her struggle with her inner demons and her journey as a spiritual guide. Both from the footage we have seen so far and from the words of the developers, you can see that the plot has a darker and more mature hue that contrasts with the rounded and pleasant character design.
Ultimately, we want Kena: Bridge of Spirits to be an extension of the features we have seen in its trailer and to take full advantage of the new generation features as much as possible. With no specific date and after being delayed from the end of 2020 to an uncertain point in 2021, the Ember Lab title will arrive on PS4, PS5 and PC sometime this year if it does not suffer another date change. Until then, if you want to be aware of all the news about Kena: Bridge of Spirits, stay tuned to FreeGameTips and all the news we publish about it.
Sources: Gamesradar
